Starting Anew
by Gunnery Sergeant
Summary: Unable to keep on working with a man she loves but will never be hers, Ziva returns in Israel. But when disaster strikes and Gibbs is injured, there is only one thing she can do...Gibbs X Ziva. Rating will go up.
1. Chapter 1

**Starting Anew**

**By Gunnery Sergeant**

_A/N: AU, starts in season 6, well before the last four episo__des. In fact I've the feeling this story wouldn't have been written this way had I known what a SOB Eli David really is!_

**Prologue**

Ziva David looked out of the window as the airplane taking her away from America and back to Israel gained height.

She kept looking down until she could no longer see soil and water, just clouds.

Only then she leaned against the back of her seat and while she stared straight ahead, fought the wave of sadness that threatened to overwhelm her.

Unlike eleven months before, when Ziva had returned to Israel after her position as liaison officer with NCIS had abruptly terminated in the wake of Jenny Shepard's death, this time she hadn't been sent away or recalled home against her will.

Ziva had left Washington because she had been offered a promotion inside the Mossad and she had decided to accept it.

She had left because she could no longer bear to spend day after day near a man she desperately loved but could never be hers. She had left because she was afraid the next time she would have found herself alone in the elevator with Leroy Jethro Gibbs, she would have ended slamming him against the wall and kissing him within an inch of his life.

Ziva was too tired to fight her feelings. Tired of hopelessly waiting to see if Gibbs looked at her with more than the gruff affection he bestowed to all the members of his team. Too tired to be jealous of all the kisses he gave Abby—something that always made her feel bad, because Abby was a sweet woman and a dear friend, and she didn't deserve to be the target of her rage.

Only one person knew of her unrequited love for their boss—Tony.

Nosey, exasperating and caring Tony knew. He had known since the time Gibbs had retired in Mexico and they had met once a week in Ziva's apartment as they looked for a way to make their boss return home.

She had confessed her love for Gibbs one night they had had one too many drinks. Afterward, she had dreaded Tony would tease her to death and make jokes about her feelings, but he had never done it.

Anthony DiNozzo might act like as if he was an overgrown frat-boy, with no respect for his colleagues' private lives and interested only in bedding as many women as he could; but in reality, he could be very sensitive when he wanted to, and he had known Ziva's hopeless love was something serious that couldn't be mocked.

The only times he had touched the topic had been to spur Ziva to act on her love for Gibbs, but she had always refused. So Tony had stopped insisting and just offered her a shoulder she could—metaphorically– cry on when Hollis Mann had appeared.

The CID colonel hadn't been around for as long as Ziva had feared—a fear that had made her blurt comments about Mann being Gibbs' future fourth ex-wife, comments that had amused Tony and scandalized McGee.

In truth, Ziva had never been really jealous of Hollis Mann, because she knew the army colonel wasn't the woman she would have to compete with if she was to reveal her feelings to Gibbs.

That woman wasn't Hollis or Jenny or Stephanie, the last of Gibbs' ex-wives and one he seemed to be still fond of. That woman wasn't Kate Todd either, despite what Ari had believed.

That woman was Shannon Gibbs, the love he had tried – and failed – to replace with his string of red-haired ex-wives and former lovers. Ziva had known there had been no way she could compete and win against a ghost and idolized memories, not to mention Gibbs' infamous rule number twelve against relationship between co-workers.

Thus, when her father's offer of promotion had arrived, she had decided to accept it.

Surrender wasn't in Ziva's genetic make-up – she was Jewish, and her people had been fighting for centuries to survive – but tactical retreat when necessary was.

She had always wanted to have a family, to have a husband and children, and she knew she would never find a man to build it with if she kept on working with Gibbs and dreaming of something that would never be.

As the plane finally levelled at cruise-height, Ziva closed her eyes, and let her tears fall.

_Goodbye America._

_Goodbye my friends._

_Goodbye my love._


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to dolphinsiren77 for the review!

**I**

**Ten Months Later**

Ziva was looking out of the open window of her office, in the Mossad headquarters in Haifa. It was a beautiful spring day and the light, flower scented breeze caressed her skin. It was relaxing and Ziva smiled as she watched two birds chase each other in the park across the street.

She was feeling happy—no, happy was too strong a word. She was content.

Her professional life was good and satisfying. She had been given the direction of the Mossad operations in the North of Israel, which, due to its nearness to Syria and Lebanon, was a very crucial area.

While she was no longer personally involved in undercover missions, she planned them and coordinated the creation of the network of agents and informants that made them possible.

As for her private life, well, it was a completely different matter, mostly because Ziva didn't have a private life. She made sure she didn't have one by burying herself in her work.

Her mother, who after divorcing her father had moved back to her native Haifa, had tried to set Ziva with some local 'good parties', young men that had no relations with Mossad.

Ziva was aware that while her mother genuinely wanted to see her happy, she had made no secret she hoped her daughter would quit Mossad to marry one of the men she had introduced her to—it would be a bit of revenge against her ex-husband.

Ziva had gone out with a couple of them, but then she had started declining the invitations, because she wasn't interested in men—or better, she was interested in only one man.

Her heart still belonged to Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Even if now the pain caused by her hopeless love stuck her only when she allowed herself to think of him; especially at night or when she wasn't busy up her eyeballs with her job.

She had stayed in contact with the members of Team Gibbs. She exchanged regular emails with Tony, Tim and Abby and the occasional phone call with Ducky.

Ziva both hoped and dreaded to receive a phone call from Gibbs, but so far it had yet to happen.

_He'__s pissed with you,_ Tony had written to her. _He gets stony-faced every time someone mentions you. I believe he thinks you abandoned us. But I get the vibes he remembers how _he_ left _us_ for Mexico, and so he gets pissed at himself too. However, I know he keeps himself updated with what is happening on your side of the world and I'm ready to bet he would run to help you should you ever ask for it._

A phone on her desk rang, and Ziva turned around, forgetting her musings. She frowned when she saw the call was on her private line, on a number only a handful of people had and was seldom used to call her during work time. She just hoped nothing bad had happened.

She raised the receiver and answered the call, "David."

"Ziva? Is that you? I can't understand you, the connection is horrible."

Her eyebrow arched in surprise. "Tony? Why are you calling? How did you get this number?" Then before he had the time to answer, a terrible thought assaulted her, "What happened, Tony?"

A moment of silence then Tony answered, his voice serious. "It's Gibbs, Ziva."

Her heart sped up as she murmured, "Is he…?" She couldn't complete the line.

"No, he's alive, but in really bad shape."

Ziva sent brief thanks to God. Till there was life, there was hope, even if one was in 'really bad shape'.

"What happened?"

"About two months ago we were sent to investigate the kidnapping of Admiral Anderson's nine year old daughter. In the beginning it looked like the kidnappers were after money or military secrets, but then it turned out they were just two sailors the admiral had dishonourably discharged because of their conduct. They were out for revenge, wanting to cause the admiral as much suffering as possible. We managed to discover the dirtbags' identities, but when we got to bring them in, we found one of them dead and the other in critical condition. They had shot each other during a fight, and the survivor died before he could tell us where Sarah Anderson was. Now, I guess you can imagine how Gibbs reacted to this…"

"Yes, I can." Because of his personal history, Gibbs became a fury when someone harmed children, especially little girls.

"We spent 43 hours straight on reconstructing the kidnappers' movements, until Abby discovered the dirt we had found on one of the dirtbags came from an abandoned mine in West Virginia. We went there and blessedly, Gibbs found the girl still alive, chained deep inside the mine. We were returning on surface when the ceiling started collapsing. We began to run toward the exit. The Boss had the girl in his arms and he was in the rear. He saw the ceiling come down in front of him and jumped forward…he almost made it...almost. He landed out of the mine on his belly, shielding Sarah from impact with his arms, but he was trapped under the debris from his waist down."

"Oh God!" Ziva said, as she pictured the scene in her mind.

"Luckily," Tony hurried to add as he heard the shock in her voice, "we had taken Ducky with us in case Sarah needed medical help, so he was able to assist Gibbs as we waited for rescue. He was given oxygen and painkillers while they worked to free him from the debris—which took hours. Ducky's fear was that Gibbs' spine might have been damaged, but his back, when they finally freed him was fine, just some bruises and lacerations. His legs, on the other hand…"

"What?!" Tony seemed to be stretching out his tale for dramatic effect, as if it was some movie he had seen. Ziva wasn't sure he was even aware he was doing it…he tended to be verbose when nervous…why was he nervous? What happened to Gibbs' legs?!? She needed to know it-now!

"A main girder had fallen over the back of his legs and while the bones didn't break, the constant pressure he had to endure for hours damaged some nerves, in his right thigh and left knee. The doctors at Bethesda said there are good chances the nerves in his thigh will heal or at least improve with time because they're located deep into the leg and not suffered as much as those in his knee, which were damaged beyond hope." Tony took a deep breath and plunged in, "But whatever improvement might happen in the future, the reality is Gibbs can no longer walk. His brain can't control the muscles in his legs anymore."

Ziva let out a curse in Hebrew, as she struggled to control the pain overwhelming her. Gibbs was a very physical man. He liked to walk and run and he always took the stairs by two… she couldn't imagine him tied to a wheelchair.

"How-how has he taken it?"

"As well, or as bad as you can imagine. Especially because Vance has hinted not too subtly what he doesn't intend to keep Gibbs as a consultant and that, given the Boss' scarce proficiency with computers or legal matters, it's highly unlikely he would fit in the HR or legal departments—not that Gibbs would ever accept to work in HR or do a lawyer's job."

Ziva cursed again, this time in English, as she envisioned the many ways she could kill Leon Vance, and make him disappear without trace. She was sure Abby would be more than happy to help her to erase any evidence she might leave behind.

"Ziva," Tony's voice intruded into her vengeful thoughts, "I phoned you not only because this wasn't the kind of news I could give you via email, but also because Abby, Ducky, McGee and I hoped you might come to visit Gibbs."

"Why?" she almost squeaked, an undignified noise she would adamantly deny she had ever made if someone pointed it to her.

"Well, after a period in which he was prone to anger…more than usual… that is, Gibbs has closed off. He doesn't eat, he doesn't talk, and he doesn't shave. He sleeps for hours, even during the day."

"Sounds like depression," Ziva interjected.

"Yeh. I'm pretty sure he would be drowning his grief in bourbon if Ducky hadn't taken all of it away."

"And what about his weapons?" Ziva asked worried Gibbs might do something far more drastic than get drunk.

"I confiscated all of them, don't worry. Ducky has taken a period of vacation and moved Gibbs to his Reston house, so the good doctor can keep an eye on him. Boss is sleeping in the room at the ground floor that used to be Ducky's mother's."

"Sounds like a good solution…" Ziva dared to say.

"Yes, certainly better than leaving him at Bethesda or giving him a private nurse—but for how long it can last? Unless he decides to retire, Ducky will need to get back at work in 2 weeks. That's why we are all hoping you might help Gibbs."

"Me? Why me? I'm not a doctor! Ducky is, and if he can't help Gibbs, why should I be able to?"

"I don't know, Ziva," Tony answered, sounding suddenly very tired, "but when Gibbs lost his memory, you were the one that made him remember. Not Ducky, not Mike Franks, not even Jenny. You. We're hoping you might pull up another miracle and made him see he can still have a good life if he actually wants to have one."

Ziva nodded, rubbing her brow. "All right, give me your number. I'll call you back as soon as I arrange my departure. And, Tony, it's not that I don't want to come…it's just I'm afraid of seeing Gibbs in this condition. I don't deal well with seeing the people I love suffering…"

"Who does, Ziva?" Tony replied gently.

"Also I'm afraid you might be putting too much hope in me. What if I'm not able to help him, Tony? I love him, you know I do, even putting half a world between us hasn't dampened my feelings for him…but what if I can't help him?"

"That's not the right attitude, Zee-vah. What you must think now is 'What if I can help him?'. Positive thoughts, as Abby is fond to say."

"You are right, of course, Tony," she said with a slight smile. "Forgive my emotional outburst."

"No need, I think it's natural. We have had two months to slowly get used to the idea and each of us could turn to the other if we needed comfort or just to talk. You, instead, still need to cope with the situation. So, don't apologize, it's-"

"- a sign of weakness, yes, I know," Ziva completed the line with a small smile, remembering the first time she had heard Gibbs say this motto.

* * *

Gibbs' injury is based on what the surgeon that operated me to my hands once told me while he was working on one of my hands...

Reviews make me review faster, so...keep them coming! *GRINS*


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for their reviews to louise, Zivacentric & horseninja!**

**II**

Three days later Ziva rang the doorbell of Ducky's house in Reston. She was alone, having managed to convince her security detail she didn't need protection while visiting a friend.

The door opened and she found herself face to face with the old ME.

"Ducky!" she exclaimed, embracing him as she noticed how tired his face looked.

"Ziva! Welcome, my dear, welcome. This is such a surprise. Anthony didn't tell me you would be coming," he exclaimed, gesturing her inside the house.

"That is because I came straight here after dropping my luggage at the hotel. I hope I am not disturbing you."

"Of course you aren't! It's such a pleasure to see you again, even though I wish the circumstances were different."

"I know, Ducky," Ziva said, briefly patting his arm. She looked around, scanning the large, luminous rooms opening on the hallway.

"Jethro is in the garden," Ducky said, guessing who she was looking for.

"How is he?" Ziva asked, staring at him with a gaze that meant 'spare me nothing'.

"Physically he's fine, but for his legs, of course." Ducky took off his glasses and cleaned them with the handkerchief he kept in his breast pocket. "Psychologically… that's another matter."

"Tony told me he has fallen into depression."

Ducky shook his head, "No, not really. Oh, Jethro's current behaviour is similar to depression: lack of appetite, lack of personal care, lack of interests, but there is a big difference. Depressed people behave like this because they have no strength or will to do ever the simplest activities. They don't react because they can't do it, it's like they are empty—but Jethro isn't like that. He has the will. He has the strength to react, but he doesn't want to."

"Why?" Ziva asked, puzzled.

"I believe this is the antechamber of a self-destructive behaviour. This is why the door and the gate are always locked and you won't find anything that can be used as a weapon on this floor," Ducky said, gesturing with his arm. "Jethro hates himself right now. He feels useless. Being in a wheelchair is a living nightmare for a man like him. I believe he is also thinking he doesn't deserve our concern and care and he is trying to push us away. First he tried with anger, but when he failed, he turned the anger into this…passivity and apathy. But he isn't fooling me, that is why I asked Tony to call you. I believe you can be the one able to reach him, Ziva."

"You all seem to think it, but how can I do it, Ducky? I'm not a psychologist," Ziva asked.

"You don't need to be one, my dear. You just need to be your practical self. Jethro has always admired and respected you—and you him. There has always been some kind of bond between you two. You might be able to convince him being in a wheelchair isn't the end of the world…"

Ziva nodded, and took a deep breath to steel herself for the confrontation that would come.

"Is the garden that way?" she pointed to her left.

"Yes."

"Then it's time I go to take the beef by the horns."

"Bull, Ziva, not beef."

"It doesn't matter; they both have horns, yes?"

**-----**

Ducky's garden was large, but it was easy to find Gibbs sitting in the shadow cast by a big oak tree.

He was thinner than she remembered, his hair shaggy and his beard scruffy as it had been when he had returned from Mexico to help her when she had been framed. But back then his eyes had been full of his inner fire, contained yes, but still burning. Now instead they were empty, as he stared straight ahead, apparently unaware of Ziva getting closer.

It was painful to see the man she loved like this, but somehow it gave her the resolve she needed to work to make him right, even if it meant being brutally honest or hurt him—and herself.

"Hello Gibbs," Ziva said, stopping near him.

"Officer David," he said flatly. He threw her a brief glance, before he dismissed her and returned to stare in front of him.

Ziva gritted her teeth and grabbing the arms of the wheelchair, she turned it toward her, so that she was now blocking his field of vision.

"I didn't fly all the way from Israel to be ignored," she hissed.

"Then you shouldn't have come. I don't need you— or anybody else," he answered with a bit more emotion than before.

"Well, perhaps we need you," Ziva replied, encouraged by that small change. She needed to make Gibbs keep on talking…and reacting.

"Highly unlikely. DiNozzo has his team now, he doesn't need me. McGee has grown up and can fend for himself; he doesn't need my advice anymore. Ducky has his job and his doctor lady friend—he just has to get rid of me and go back to them."

"What about Abby?" Ziva pressed. Surely the mention of his favourite lab rat would make him see how much he was still needed.

Gibbs shrugged. "She has Tony now. He'll take care of her."

"And what about me?" Ziva blurted almost without thinking.

"You, Officer David?" he grimaced, an unpleasant expression for sure, but she thought she saw a flicker of the old fire in his eyes. "You certainly have no need for me. You left us, remember?"

Gibbs didn't wait for her answer, but returned to stare straight ahead which, given their position, meant at Ziva's midriff.

Ziva bit the inside of her cheek. Here he was, dismissing her again. It was the moment to use the iron fist since the gentle manners were obviously not working.

She leant forward, so close to his face she could feel his breath on her skin and said, dangerously low, "Yeah, Gibbs, why should we need a man that drowns in self-pity and doesn't care how much he hurts the people that love him? That leaves his team down and behaves as a coward. I wonder how you managed to get your Silver Star by being such a coward-"

"I'm not a coward!" Gibbs all but roared, slamming his fist on the wheelchair arm as he raised his furious face to look at her.

Ziva's heart started beating faster; the fire had returned to his blue eyes!

"That's it!" She shouted as loud as him. "You aren't a coward! You're a fighter—so fight!"

"What for?" he challenged her. "I've nothing left to fight for. That damned mine has taken away my legs and Vance took away my job." He paused and Ziva saw his eyes start to shine in a suspicious way. "I've served and protected my country for my whole adult life. I don't know anything else. What can I do if I can't serve my country anymore?"

There were tears in Gibbs' eyes now and for the first time Ziva realized it wasn't the loss of his ability to walk that bothered him, but the loss of his job, of his ability to make the difference as he used to. That's why he was trying to push everyone away, because they were still doing what he longed to do.

A sudden idea sparkled in her mind and without stopping to ponder it more, she said fiercely, "If you can't serve your country anymore, then come to Israel and serve mine."

-------------

Oh-oh! Cliffhanger! How will Gibbs react to this? Will he say yes or no? Let me know! And remember, reviews make me update faster.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks to louise and Zivacentric for their reviews!**

**Note:** the rating has been upped to** T**

* * *

"What?!" Gibbs exclaimed, a stunned expression on his face.

"Come to work with me in Israel, Gibbs. You would be a great addition to my squad, with all your expertise as an investigator and undercover operative. We could all learn from you; you could teach my men as you taught me."

"Are you serious?" he whispered, the hope in his voice unmistakable.

"Yes, I am. I think I could even convince Vance to keep you on the active duty roster of NCIS and have you assigned to Mossad as a liaison agent. Would you like that? You would still be serving your country while you help to protect mine," Ziva said with a smile, as her impromptu idea transformed into a more complex plan.

Gibbs stared at her intently, his piercing blue eyes apparently trying to see inside her head and discover her motivations.

"Why are you doing this, Ziva?" he asked after a brief silence. "I thought you no longer wanted to have anything to do with NCIS…or me."

"Would I have travelled all the way from Haifa to see you and offer you a job if it were so?" Ziva answered his question with one of her own.

"I guess not," he said softly, before his eyes hardened. "So why did you leave? And don't give me the bullshit about the promotion being too good to be refused."

"Well," she began, taking the time to organize her thoughts because she knew the moment of truth had come and he would sense if she lied to him, "the promotion was indeed too good to be passed over, but no, it wasn't the real reason I accepted it."

"What then?"

"Minutes ago you said I left NCIS because I did not need you. That is not true, Gibbs. I left because I needed you too much—and I still do."

"What?" he shook his head puzzled.

"I love you, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I have for a long time and I could no longer bear to be at your side day after day and be unable to act on my feelings. Your…presence… had started to become distracting and I was afraid one day I would commit a mistake that would cause you or the others to get hurt, or worse—and it was something I could not allow it to happen. So I left." Ziva fell silent, steeling herself for Gibbs' annoyance or discomfort at her declaration of love.

However, the only emotions appearing on his face were pain and regret, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"What for? To have you quote me rule number twelve? Or to hear you tell me 'Sorry, Ziva, but my heart still belongs to Shannon?' No, thank you, I could live without your pity or sympathy."

"No," Gibbs, shook his head as he stared straight at her eyes, "but you would have heard me tell you that while a part of my heart will always belong to Shannon and Kelly, the other part has belonged to you... for a long time."

"What?!" Ziva croaked, reaching out with a hand to steady herself against the tree trunk. She could have not heard that right…

"I love you, Ziva David, and I've for a long time," Gibbs said with that calm intensity that characterized him. "I never acted on it because, well, I was your boss and I'm old and I had no idea you might like me in that way."

She smiled gently, "You aren't old, Jethro, just older than me."

She gingerly sat down on his legs, and wrapped her arms around his neck, and he surrounded her back with his own arms. Brown eyes meet blue ones for a long moment in which they studied each other and then, inexorably, their faces became closer and closer until their lips touched.

The kiss started almost chaste, but soon escalated in passion. Ziva opened her lips when she felt his tongue press against them, and welcomed his intrusion into her mouth. Hands buried in grey and brown hair, they devoured each other for several minutes, until the need to breathe made them part.

Gibbs pulled her against his chest, and she could hear his rushed heartbeat as he murmured, "Ziva, I love you and I would really like to come with you to Israel and work with you again. But I need to know if you're really sure about this. I'm no longer the man you fell in love with. I'm, well…damaged."

Ziva raised her head from his chest to look at his troubled eyes, "Damaged, perhaps, but it doesn't change the way I see you, as I am sure it would not change yours if our situation was reversed."

"That's true, but, you know, I've always thought a man must be able to protect his woman. He has to be strong and-"

Ziva laughed, interrupting him. "You are a chauvinist, Jethro—and an old fashioned gentleman beneath that tough Marine stance. But we are in the 21st century and women – at least certain women – can take care of themselves. As for you don't being strong, that's an idiocy. You are strong, both in the body and the mind—and I bet your torso and arms will become even stronger the more you use them to move around…I could not help but notice that in true Gibbs style, you choose a not electric powered wheelchair."

Gibbs laughed softly and lowered his head bashfully. "Yeah..." Then he sobered and looked at her again, his cheeks now lightly flushed. "What about…other matters?"

Ziva frowned, "What other matters?"

"Private…matters…"

"Oh, you mean sex, yes?"

"Yeh," Gibbs said through his gritted teeth, because he had guessed she was teasing him.

"From what I can feel poking into my thigh at this very moment, I don't think there will be any problem," Ziva answered suavely, enjoying his blush.

"My range of…action…will be limited…"

"I'll compensate for it," she said simply, shrugging her shoulders. Then she took his head between her hands, and pulled him so close they were almost breathing the same air. "Do you care for a demonstration?"

"Now?!"

"As someone said, there is no better time than the present," Ziva underscored her words by grinding her bottom on his groin.

"Ziva! We're in Ducky's garden!" Gibbs hissed, with a mixture of outrage and pleasure.

"Not here in the garden…in your room." She stood up from his legs, walked behind the wheelchair and started pushing it toward the house.

"Ziva!" He twisted his torso to glare at her as she pushed him inside the house, "I can't have sex knowing Ducky is near and awake!"

"That is why you will wait here as I send Ducky away."

Gibbs groaned and covered his face with a hand as Ziva walked away.

She found the ME sitting in the parlour reading a book. "Ducky?" she called.

He dropped the book and stood up, "Ziva! Are you all right, my dear? You look a bit flushed and out of breath and-"

"I am fine Ducky," she interrupted him, "and Gibbs is fine too. But now we need you to leave the house for a while."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you. We just need to be alone," she began to manoeuvre him toward the door.

"Ziva, I can't imagine why you would want to be alone with Jethro, unless you plan to use one of your techniques on him…" he looked alarmed.

"Don't worry, Ducky, I can assure you torturing Gibbs is the last thing I would ever do. You see, we love each other…" Ziva had finally managed to drag the older man into the foyer and was now helping him to don his coat.

"You love each other? Oh, but this is wonderful news. And when did it happen? Certainly not in the past hour-"

"Later, Ducky!" Ziva silenced him, then put the hat on his head and handed him the keys of his Morgan.

"I still don't understand why I have to leave…"

"Bedroom, Ducky! We are going to be in the bedroom," Ziva said, exasperated, as she opened the door and showed him out.

"Oh. Ohhhh…" Ducky's eyes finally widened in understanding. "Then by all means proceed my dear. I'll take the Morgan out for a trip…a long trip…you will have the house all for yourself."

"Thank you, Ducky," Ziva silenced him by shutting the door and locking it.

"Ziva!" Gibbs protested as he appeared in the hallway, "You locked Ducky out of his own house!"

"I'll apologize…later," Ziva answered, walked to him and kissed him deeply. Then she took the handles of the wheelchair and asked, "Where?"

"Other there," he gestured with his hand.

* * *

Will the rating go up to M? Please review and you'll know soon!


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you all for your reviews! Unfortunately today I'm in hurry (relatives have dropped by, and I've to entertain & show them around), so I've just the time to write these few words and post the chapter. **

**-----**

Once inside the bedroom, Gibbs manoeuvred the wheelchair by the bed, locked the wheels and used his arms to push himself out of the chair and onto the mattress.

Then, even before Ziva could offer to help him, he bent forward, removed his shoes and grabbed the fabric of his sweatpants, using it to pull and raise his legs, one by one, up on the mattress, so they were now stretched in front of him.

She noticed how efficiently he moved and realized that despite his previously despondent behaviour, he had worked hard to regain as much of his independence as he could.

"When you've finished staring at me, Ziva, you could join me," Gibbs said with a smirk as he used his arms to scoot up the mattress and leaned back against the headboard.

She toed off her shoes and joined him on the bed. He cupped her face, his calloused thumbs caressing her cheekbones as they kissed at first leisurely, than more urgently as their need increased.

It took them just a look to agree that 'slow' would be for another time. At the moment they were too charged with the need and passion they had suffocated for years to go slow.

Ziva quickly got rid of her clothes as Gibbs removed his sweater and t-shirt. Then she helped him to take off his pants, socks and boxers.

Hungry eyes roamed over naked bodies for long minutes, before they again decided there would be plenty of time later to explore and caress and taste.

Ziva straddled Gibbs' legs and pressed against him as she kissed him deeply, her breasts flattened against the hard planes of his chest.

His hands slid down her back in a long caress, then gripped her hips so tightly he would probably leave bruises as her fingers slid between their heated bodies to grab his length.

She pumped him a few times enjoying his needy groans, then rose on her knees and guided him inside her slick opening. They both moaned aloud as she sank down on him, he at her tightness and warmth, she at his size.

After a moment of pause as they looked into each other's dilated pupils, Ziva braced her hands on Gibbs' shoulders and began rising and falling over him. It started slowly and a bit awkwardly, but it became easier when she found a rhythm that suited both of them, at least judging by his continuous moans.

Even lost in her pleasure, Ziva was aware that this had to be difficult for Gibbs, for he had little or no control over their lovemaking. She had no doubt he was the kind of lover that always took the time to make sure his partner was satisfied before chasing for his own completion. But now, because of his injury, he had to let her do the entire job…well almost, because now his strong arms were helping her to move faster over him.

Faster, harder, deeper…Ziva rocked and moved over Gibbs, as drops of sweat slid along her skin, from her neck down the valley between her breasts, followed by her lover's eyes. He licked his lips, as he was imagining licking those drops, and she smiled. She removed one of her hands from his shoulders, caught the drop with her fingertip and brought it to his lips, moaning aloud when it was sucked into his hot mouth.

Tension coiled in her belly and Ziva put her hand back on his shoulder to steady her shaking body.

"You close…?" Gibbs panted, pupils so dilated with desire his eyes were almost black.

"Almost…there…" she answered through clenched teeth.

One of his hands left her hips and slid between them. One, two rubs of his finger against her core and Ziva shattered, climaxing with a loud cry, as her inner muscles clamped around his hard length, sending him over the edge too.

When she recovered her wits, she found she was slumped against Gibbs' heaving, sweaty chest, her head tucked in the crock of his neck. One of his hands was rubbing soothing circles on her back; the other arm was wrapped around her waist, keeping her close, his grip as tender as it had been possessive a few minutes before.

Ziva smiled against his skin and kissed his ear, before she pulled back to look at him.

Gibbs' hair was in disarray, his cheeks still slightly flushed and his eyes were as soft as she had never seen them.

She wrapped her arms loosely around his neck and smiled, "That wasn't too bad…"

"Ya think?" he answered with lazy smirk.

"Not bad at all," she repeated, leaning forward. Their kiss was sweet, tender and deeply intimate.

Afterward, they embraced again and Gibbs whispered, "Do you think it will be all right?"

Ziva looked at him, not understanding.

"You, me, in Israel," he clarified and she was taken aback by the vulnerability in his gaze.

"Are you second guessing yourself after this?" Ziva answered, gesturing to their naked bodies. "Because the Leroy Jethro Gibbs I know never second guesses himself."

"I'm not second guessing myself. It's just this is a big leap of faith for me—and for you. A jump into the unknown—and I'm wondering if I'm too old for such a change."

Ziva pulled back to look at him seriously. "I thought we agreed on the fact you are not old, just older. As for the rest, I don't expect it will be a bed of roses, Jethro. It would not be realistic to expect everything will be perfect, but I know we can make it work—that we _will_ make it work. Do you believe in it?" She asked, taking his face into her hands and staring straight into his eyes.

"Yes," he whispered fiercely, his own hands gripping her wrists. "I believe in it. I believe in us."

"Good," Ziva smiled, as she let go of his face and relaxed again against his chest, "because that makes two of us…"

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Liked it? I hope so! Let me know!


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks so much for your reviews! Relatives are about to leave, so tomorrow I'll have time to reply as I usually do.**

**III**

The sun shone on Gibbs' hair, making it shine as polished silver, and Ziva had to restrain herself from caressing it. Ducky, McGee and Tony were nearby, and she knew he wasn't very at ease with public displays of affection.

They were at the airport, watching as the crew were loading Gibbs' belongings on the private jet Ziva's father as put at their disposal, to make her lover's long flight to Tel Aviv as comfortable as possible.

After the rather surprising turn of events of seventeen days before, Ziva had left her no longer so bear-like lover in Ducky's company and briefly returned to Israel. She had needed to talk with her father and it wasn't something she could do on the phone.

In his office in Tel Aviv, her father had listened as she had explained why she thought Gibbs would make a great addition to her investigative squad…

"_He speaks Russian, Father, no one in my group do__es, and you know how useful this could be now it has been proved Hezbollah and Hamas are in contact with Chechnyan terrorists," Ziva said pacing in front of Eli David's desk, "He is also a formidable judge of people and he is relentless to the point of obsession when pursuing a lead on a crime. He doesn't stop until he catches the culprit."_

_She fell silent and stopped her pacing as she waited for her father's response. He looked at her in silence, playing distractedly with his pen, then he asked, point blank, "For how long have you been in love with him, Ziva?"_

_She blushed, but refused to deny the truth, "Years, Papa." _

"_Does he love you too?"_

"_Yes, he does."_

"_And is it that why he is willing to leave his country and come here?"_

"_No."_

"_No?"_

"_No," Ziva repeated firmly. __"As I said before, Gibbs needs to feel useful again after he lost his job due to his injuries—and I believe he would do very well working with us. I made my proposal to him before we confessed our feelings. I am not trying to convince you to accept him because I love him, but because he taught much to me, and I think he could teach our other officers too."_

_Her father nodded, "You a__re right, Gibbs taught you well and I know you enough to be aware you would never bring a man into Mossad for personal reasons only. You have always put your country first; even when it leads you to make very difficult choices."_

_There was a strange edge in her father's voice and she asked, "Father?"_

"_I a__m speaking of Ari, Ziva. Do you really think I don't know who killed him?" _

_Ziva stood still, as her mind worked frantically. Did her father really know? Or did he just suspect? _

"_Don't worry Ziva," he father continued gently after a moment, "I received reports about Ari…I know he was a traitor, to his family and his country. And I know you loved him dearly and that your decision must have been a very painful one."_

_She just nodded, and sat down on a nearby chair, although she felt actually relieved the truth was now out._

"_Gibbs lied in his report to protect you," her father continued, "He is indeed an honourable man with many talents I'm sure we could put to good use. You have my permission to bring him here to work with us. I will contact Leon Vance at once and arrange things between Mossad and NCIS." He stood up and came around the desk, stopping near her, "And you have my approval to see him in a more personal way, even if I guess it is a bit late for that."_

_Ziva rose to her feet and looked at her father's eyes, "Papa… are you really not upset about me being with Jethro?"_

"_No," he smiled b__riefly as he caressed her cheek, "True, he is not the man I would have preferred to see you with if I could choose, but as long he makes you happy, I am happy too."_

_For the first time in too many years, Ziva embraced her father with the same transport and love she had had as a child, before Tali's death and the disillusionment caused by Ari's betrayal and the words she had heard in Gibbs' basement before she had pulled the trigger…_

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As I said, this story was written long before "Aliyah" and the truth about Ziva's killing Ari was revealed, hence this conversation between Eli and Ziva and the fact Eli seems so nice...I was basing him on what we saw in "Last Man Standing".

Reviews? :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks to dolphinsiren77 for your review!**

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Ziva returned to the present, and smiled as she thought of how her father had helped her to locate a house in Haifa that would be suitable for a man in a wheelchair. She had been thrilled when they had found a one-story house with a garden that opened onto a private beach. It was the perfect place for Gibbs, especially when the time to sail his boat would come.

"So Boss," Tony was saying, "do you have to learn Hebrew now? I'm not sure I could ever speak a language without vowels."

"Ya think, DiNozzo?" Gibbs smirked, his blue eyes flashing.

Jethro had changed a lot in the past weeks. Gone was the pallor and empty gaze that had so worried Ziva upon her arrival. He was now alert, tanned, and had regained some weight too. As for his hair and beard, she had insisted on helping him to cut the former and shave the latter before she left for Israel, because she hadn't wanted to be surprised by an awful moustache on her return.

"Tony," Ziva explained, "the vowels aren't written down, but we _do_ use them. It just takes a bit of practice to learn which one needs to be used while reading something. In any case, we all know English in the office, so I don't think there will be any problem."

In that moment a taxi came around the hangar and stopped near the door. The door opened and Abby appeared, running toward the small group of friends as fast as her dangerously high platform boots allowed.

"Gibbs! Ziva! Thank God you're still here! My car had a flat tire – again- and I had to call the taxi, and it took ages to arrive and then the driver didn't know the name of this little private airport. Well, looking around it doesn't seem that little, but it was so small on the navigator and we struggled to find it-"

"Calm down, Abs!" Gibbs said and reached up with his hand to grab and squeeze her wildly gesturing arm. "You're here now, and we haven't left yet."

"We would never leave without saying goodbye to you, Abby," Ziva interjected, "This is one of the advantages of using a private jet."

Abby nodded, finally calmer, and sat down on Gibbs' legs, hugging him tightly. "I'll miss you, my silver-haired fox," she said softly.

"I'll miss you too, Abs, but I promise, I'll come to visit, and of course you're welcome to visit too."

"Promise?"

"Promise. In the meantime, the brown-haired fox here will take care of you and bring you all the Caf-Pow! you want."

"Brown-haired fox?" Abby looked at Tony and grimaced, "Tony isn't a fox, Gibbs!"

"Then what am I?" Tony asked, looking at her challengingly.

"You're… you are…"

"A brown-haired porcupine!" Ziva exclaimed, remembering a long past conversation.

Everyone laughed as Tony looked affronted and gingerly touched his spiky hair, "I look good like this!"

"Indeed you do," Ziva commented with a gentle smile. She would have never imagined the first time she had met the cocky agent, that one day he would have become one of her best friends. "Come to visit us, Tony. Haifa is both a tourist and university town. I am sure you will find plenty of women that will love your Italian charm."

Tony's eyes flashed, "That's interesting: a new hunting ground for Anthony DiNozzo!"

"Hey Boss?" McGee asked, still not wanting to ever change the man's title.

"Yeah, McGee?"

"What is the crew loading now?" McGee pointed to a huge object wrapped with sheets eight men were slowly pushing inside the plane.

Gibbs grinned, "That's my boat."

McGee's eyes bulged, "Your boat?! But how…I mean how did you manage to take it out of your basement?"

Gibbs smirked, "Not saying."

"Oh, come on, McGenius, the Boss is having fun at your expense. There is no way he can have moved that boat out of his house," Tony said, flashing a grin. "I'm right, Boss, huh?"

"Nope. Go to check my basement on your way home; Ducky has the keys."

Tony exchanged a 'he-is-joking-right?' look with Ziva, but she shook her head.

The hatch of the plane slid close as the airport crew walked away. The time to board had finally come.

One by one, the members of Team Gibbs said goodbye to both him and Ziva and showed once again the affection that each of them had for the other.

Ducky advised Gibbs to keep on with the physical therapy for his legs, then embraced both his old friend and Ziva and wished them 'fare thee well'.

Tony promised Gibbs to take care of the team and keep an eye on Leon Vance—who wasn't loved by any of them. He also wished happiness to the couple and asked to be alerted when the _Kelly_ would finally be ready to take the sea.

McGee thanked Gibbs for teaching him so much and for having taken him away from his administrative job in Norfolk and making him a field agent. He also promised he would visit soon, because he needed some local colour and atmosphere for his new book about L.J. Tibbs' adventures in the Middle East.

Finally Abby came forward. There were tears in her eyes as she hugged both Ziva and Gibbs.

"I'll miss you so much, guys, but I guess that if you're happy – and you're, I can see it – then I'll be happy too. Just remember this, Gibbs!" Abby hand signed something that made his face flush crimson.

"Abby!" he exclaimed, clearly embarrassed.

"What did she say?" Ziva, Tony and McGee asked in unison.

"I said that I want to be an auntie soon! So you two don't think only about work, but get down to it and make some Gibblets!"

"Abby!" Ziva exclaimed, as Tony, McGee and even Ducky burst in laughter and Abby stared at the couple with a smug smile.

When the laughter died, Ziva walked behind her lover's wheelchair, bent down, kissed his cheek and, just as Gibbs' hand rose pull her closer, she looked straight into Abby's expectant face, and vowed, "We will do our best, Abby."

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Do you like this parting on an airport tarmac? Much better than the one in "Aliyah", I think. Let me know, OK?


	8. Chapter 8

Well, finally FFnet works again. I don't know if it was the same for you, but I didn't get any alert for about two days, nor I was allowed to do any uploading.

Thank you so much for all you reviews. I'm happy you liked the parting scene!

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**Epilogue**

**Two Years Later**

Ziva looked at the serious blue eyes staring back at her and laughed softly, "I was right," she said to her companion, "she is taking after you."

Gibbs leaned forward and observed their six-month-old daughter's face, "And I stand by my opinion: she has taken after you, blue eyes aside. She is too pretty to look like me."

"I wasn't talking of her looks. I was referring to her expression. She was glaring at me exactly as you do when you stare some suspect—or arguing co-worker – into submission. I am sure she will be the leader of her class when she is old enough to attend kindergarten." Ziva kissed her girl's little nose, and then turned to Gibbs, "And just to make this clear, there is nothing wrong with your looks."

He tilted his head and just smiled, his eyes and hair shining in the early afternoon sun.

It was the first day of their two-week vacation, and they had taken a trip to a nearby ice cream parlour what was open on _Shabbat_. The weather was warm but not hot and a slight breeze blew from the sea. It was the perfect day for their little family to take a walk.

Ziva couldn't believe how good their life had turned out to be since Gibbs had moved to Israel. The last two years had been filled with happiness and satisfaction, both in their professional and personal lives. Of course, just as she had predicted, there had been rough and difficult moments, because they both had strong personalities that sometimes could not help but clash, but their relationship had been strengthened by the clashes.

Gibbs had adapted remarkably well to his new life and job. While he technically was Ziva's subordinate, in reality they worked and acted as equals, and their squad was now used to taking orders from both of them.

Their job was challenging and important enough for Israel and its allies' safety that Gibbs didn't regret not being a field investigator anymore. Officially he was still a NCIS agent, but it was understood that he would keep working for Mossad even if his position as liaison officer should be terminated for whatever reason. After all, he was now an Israeli citizen by marriage, and should Vance ever recall him back to America, it would be only for the brief time necessary to resign from NCIS and settle whatever business that needed to be settled. His home was now in Haifa, with his wife and their daughter.

Tali Caitlyn Jennifer Gibbs snuggled closer to her mother's chest as the little family continued their walk, discreetly followed by their security detail men.

Their progress was slow because Gibbs couldn't move faster with his crutches, but there was no hurry. After all, their guests weren't scheduled to arrive until the next day.

As it often happened, Ziva smiled at the sight of her husband walking by her side. As the doctors had predicted, Jethro had regained almost complete use of his right leg, and it allowed him to walk or stand with the help of the crutches. His left leg instead, was damaged beyond hope, but he had accepted it and was no longer bothered by it. He still used the wheelchair at the office or when he needed to move quickly or have his hands free; otherwise he preferred to walk, and he had learned to negotiate even the sand of their beach with the crutches.

"Hey," Gibbs suddenly said, looking straight ahead, "it looks like our guests arrived early."

Ziva, who had been busy observing Tali, raised her head upon hearing her husband's comment and saw the small group of persons standing by the gates of their house.

Four men and a woman, all of them so taken in by their argument they didn't notice their hosts walking in their direction. The conformation and acoustic of the road carried their voices to the approaching trio, so it was easy to understand what they were arguing about.

"…I told you, Tony, we should have called to alert them so they could have anticipated our arrival," McGee was saying, with the tone of someone who had repeated that line more than once.

"Shut up, McGeek, it wouldn't have been a surprise visit if we called ahead…" answered Tony.

"Well, technically it's not a surprise visit even now; they knew we were coming…" Abby's voice interjected as she twisted her black parasol, "Maybe they're out of town. It's such a beautiful day, they might have taken the little Gibblet somewhere…you know, to show her something…"

"She is only six-months-old, Abby, what can they show to her at such young age? The Mossad headquarters? A shooting range?" Tony argued, "Hey Palmer, are you sure this is the right place?"

"Why are you asking me?" Jimmy replied, "I wasn't driving!"

Ziva and Gibbs could no longer contain their laughter and it caught Ducky's attention.

The old M.E.'s face brightened as he raised his hands and voice and exclaimed, "No need to be so worried, children! Mom and Dad are here…"

There was a moment of silence, as all heads turned in Ziva and Gibbs' direction. Then the silence of the early afternoon was broken by a squeal of delight as Abby started running, her arms widened, toward the approaching couple, followed more sedately by the other members of what was still known as Team Gibbs.

Ziva and Gibbs exchanged an amused glance and a smile and went to meet their friends.

THE END

Well, that's all. I hope you liked reading this story as much as I enjoying writing it!


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